DE112021003692T5 - A KIND OF BARRIER FABRIC - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a face mask, which comprises a body made of transparent PES (polyester) fabric, straps for fastening the body to the head or the ear, and a retaining wire arranged horizontally at the upper end of the body.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a transparent face mask with antimicrobial and washable properties.

In particular, the invention relates to a face mask consisting of a body made of transparent PES (polyester) fabric that makes the movements of the mouth visible, of straps that ensure the attachment of the body to the head or to the ear, and of a horizontal at the top of the body attached retaining wire.

STATE OF THE ART

Today, face masks are used to reduce the risk of transmitting bacteria and viruses that can be contagious from person to person. They are used judiciously in the health and food sectors, especially in areas that directly affect people's health.

Prior art face masks extend from the bridge of the nose to the chin and are made from multiple layers of opaque woven or non-woven filter materials. This completely covers the user's mouth and nose area and cannot be seen from the outside.

Today, research in the field of voice communication has found that 65 percent of personal communication is due to non-verbal messages that include facial expressions and 35 percent to verbal messages. It is also known that it is a calming situation for children when the faces of adults are clearly visible when communicating with children.

The isolating effect of face masks and the non-visibility of the user's mouth reduce the quality of face-to-face communication. The opaque fabric used in face masks obscures the user's mouth and facial movements. In fact, it is difficult to understand what is spoken because it also affects the voice. This creates an uncomfortable situation that disrupts communication during social interaction.

Additionally, with current technology, single-use masks create a significant waste burden as they are generally made from materials with non-natural ingredients. Most cloth masks lack antimicrobial properties related to chemicals and porosity, and are not transparent due to their opaque nature.

Most clear masks are used as a shield and protect against splashes by covering the entire face, but require wearing a face mask as they are open at the sides and bottom and cannot prevent the airborne microbes from entering the respiratory tract . Most clear masks in the form of face masks are very tough as they are made from plastic-containing materials in the form of films.

Below are some of the face masks that have been designed to solve these problems.

In the patent specification no US 4,467,799A mentions a transparent mask containing a rigid plastic structure. Here is described a hygienic, disposable, cup-shaped, thin and flexible transparent face mask that covers the mouth and nose area of the wearer's face. However, the material of the mask according to the invention mentioned here is different and it has no straps with which it can be worn on the head. Also, being a disposable mask, it is expensive as a new mask has to be used each time. Therefore, the object of the present invention differs from the structure and shape of this mask.

In the patent specification with the number U.S. 2006/0230485 A1 is a face mask made of transparent plastic material with a filter. Mentioned here is a transparent mask with a filter that prevents infection with disease-causing bacteria and inhalation of dust while maintaining the appearance of the area of the face covered by the mask. The mask allows the user to see facial expressions when speaking. However, it differs from the mask according to the invention with regard to the material used. Also, adding an extra filtering feature increases costs and prevents it from being a product that is easily accessible to all users. The mask object of the present invention provides the filtering function naturally through the 100% PES (polyester) fabric.

In order to eliminate the above problems from the current state of the art, a 100% polyester face mask was developed that is both flexible and hygienic, thanks to its transparent structure that reveals facial expressions and is suitable for repeated use.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a transparent, washable and flexible face mask.

Another object of the invention is to provide a face mask made of 100% RE-PES (recycled polyester) and transparent recycled yarn. This is to ensure that the mouth movements are visible, while the mask is transparent and eliminates the communication problems caused by the known masks.

Another object of the invention is to protect the user's face from splashes containing microorganisms that may come from the outside, by a structure that completely encloses the user's face.

Another object of the invention is to provide a softer and more comfortable feel than plastic materials because it is a fabric.

Another object of the invention is to reduce environmental pollution and costs by making the product from a washable material and being reusable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mask with antimicrobial properties generated by metals, metal-containing polymers, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary polymer blends used in the finishing process.

A further object of the invention is to obtain a mask which has a tightly woven structure with extremely small pores and thus prevents the penetration of microorganisms.

Another object of the invention is to make a positive contribution to avoiding waste in the environment by producing masks from recycled yarns.

In order to achieve the above objects, the invention consists in a body made of transparent polyester fabric and a face mask containing straps for fastening said body to the head or to the ear.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, said body is made from finished fabrics and/or from yarns having antimicrobial properties provided during yarn manufacture.

Metal, metal-containing polymers, quaternary ammonium salts and mixtures containing one or more of the quaternary polymer structures are used in the refining process mentioned. In an alternative embodiment, microencapsulation is applied to the fabric and/or yarn during the finishing process.

In another embodiment of the invention, it comprises a support wire horizontally arranged at the upper end of the body or a flexible tissue band horizontally arranged at the upper end of the body instead of a support wire. The wire mentioned here is made of rustproof and flexible material. The elastic band, on the other hand, is made of phosphorescent and flexible fabric that glows due to the reflection of light.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the face mask body includes a seam located perpendicular to the elastic band or wire and level with the nose, aligned from the elastic band or wire to the tip of the nose.

character list

• In 1 1 is a front perspective view of the mask of the present invention.
• In 2 shows the side view of the mask according to the invention.
• In 3 1 shows the appearance of the face mask according to the invention on the user's face.

Reference List

10

face mask

11

retaining wire

12

seam

13

ribbons

14

Body

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention discloses a face mask (10) made of 100% transparent PES fabric and used by encircling the face around the nose to the chin at the bottom edge.

As in 1 As can be seen, the face mask (10) essentially consists of a body (14) of transparent PES fabric and straps (13) of flexible fabric tape positioned on the body (14) in line with the user's ear so that the body (14) can be attached to the head or ear.

• - einen Haltedraht (11), der sich um die Nase unter dem Auge legt und am oberen Ende des Körpers (14) angeordnet ist, und
• - eine Naht (12), die vertikal auf der Höhe der Nase des genannten Haltedrahtes (11) angeordnet und vom Haltedraht (11) zur Nasenspitze ausgerichtet ist.

The face mask (10) also includes the lower part of the body (14) which wraps around the wearer's nose and provides complete insulation,

• - a retaining wire (11) which wraps around the nose under the eye and is arranged at the upper end of the body (14), and
• - a suture (12) arranged vertically at the level of the nose of said retaining wire (11) and directed from the retaining wire (11) to the tip of the nose.

This seam (12) is formed by folding the part of the body (14) that is at the level of the nose. Optionally, a further seam (12) can be attached to the body (14), which extends from the lower end of the mouth to the throat so that the chin can be gripped from below.

The retaining wire (11) mentioned can preferably be made of any corrosion-resistant and flexible material suitable for washing.

In 2 the transparent body (14) of the face mask (10) according to the invention is shown. The transparent PES fabric is woven in a structure that prevents the passage of living bacteria in the inhaled air as much as possible and allows for minimal porosity. This transparency makes it possible to see the user's mouth movements and thus facilitates communication.

In 3 Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the face mask (10) in use. The transparent structure of the fabric, made of thin polyester yarns, allows air to pass through and makes the user's facial movements visible, but also prevents the penetration of microorganisms.

The fabric that makes up the face mask (10) undergoes a finishing process that prevents or even reduces the growth of microorganisms that can attach themselves to the fabric. The finishing process can use synergistic mixtures of metal or metal-containing polymers, quaternary ammonium salts and polymer structures applied to the fabric. In this application, the antimicrobial activity level of the PES fabric of the face mask (10) can be over 80% according to the AATCC-100 (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists) standard.

• - einfache Anwendung durch ihre leichte und flexible Struktur,
• - reizt die Haut bei kontinuierlichem Gebrauch nicht,
• - waschbar für wiederholten Gebrauch,
• - hat antimikrobielle Eigenschaften.

The Refined Face Mask (10) provides the following:

• - ease of use due to its light and flexible structure,
• - does not irritate the skin with continuous use,
• - washable for repeated use,
• - has antimicrobial properties.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned finishing process is performed on the yarns that make up this fabric and not on the fabric that forms the face mask (10). The antimicrobial property of the fabric made with antimicrobial yarn is more durable and environmentally friendly.

An alternative embodiment of the face mask (10) uses microencapsulation of the fabric, making the mask (10) more comfortable, longer to wear and eliminating malodours. In addition, the mask (10) provides thermal comfort by cooling the hot air inside the mask while breathing.

According to the standard for bacterial filtration efficiency (EN 14683-B / Bacterial Filtration Efficiency), the face mask (10) according to the invention can filter bacteria with a size of 3 μm by more than 75%. Due to the yarn and weave structure used, significantly better results are achieved (~10 Pa/cm2).

In an alternative embodiment of the face mask (10) according to the invention, the elastic band to which the retaining wire (11) is attached is made of flexible fabric. The flexibility of the strap eliminates the need for the tether (11) and makes the face mask (10) easier to wash.

In a further embodiment of the face mask (10) according to the invention, an elastic band made of phosphorescent material is provided which glows due to the light reflected thereon. This ensures user visibility in dark environments.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US4467799A [0010]
• US 2006/0230485 A1 [0011]

Claims (9)

Face mask (10) having a body (14) and straps (13) allowing said body (14) to be fixed to the head or to the ear, characterized in that the body (14) is made of transparent PES (polyester)- tissue is made. Face mask (10) according to claim 1 wherein the body (14) is made from finished fabrics and/or from yarns having antimicrobial properties applied during yarn manufacture. Face mask (10) according to claim 2 , wherein the mixtures containing one or more metals, metal-containing polymers, quaternary ammonium salts and quaternary polymer structures are applied in the finishing process. Face mask (10) according to claim 2 , where microencapsulation is applied to the yarn and/or fabric during the finishing process. A face mask (10) as claimed in any preceding claim including a tether (11) of flexible material horizontally disposed at the top of the body (14). Face mask (10) according to claim 5 , wherein the retaining wire (11) is made of stainless and flexible material. Face mask (10) according to claims 1 until 4 , comprising an elastic band of flexible fabric arranged horizontally at the top of the body (14). Face mask (10) according to claim 7 , where the elastic band consists of a phosphorescent substance that glows due to the light reflected on it. A face mask (10) as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a seam (12) perpendicular to the elastic band or wire (11) and at the level of the nose and aligned from the elastic band or wire (11) to the tip of the nose.

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